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Crime Blotter: Week of August 1

The following is a sample of crime in Berkeley this week, provided by the Berkeley Police Department.

Car Stop and Drug Violation — Fairview and Sacramento Streets — One Arrested
BPD Drug Task Force officers made a traffic enforcement stop of a blue Volvo on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 about 9:35 p.m. A records check of the 43 year old Berkeley man revealed that he had a suspended/revoked Driver’s license. During an inventory search prior to towing the car, officers found a red cloth pouch that had 14 individually packaged pieces of cocaine base under the driver’s seat. The man was arrested and booked for violation of H&S 11351.1 — Possession for Sales of Cocaine and VC 14601.1(a) – Driving on a Suspended or Revoked License. The man’s car was towed for storage.

Car Stop and Drug Violation — Stanford and Lowell, Oakland — just over the Berkeley south border – One Arrested
BPD Drug Task Force officers made a traffic enforcement stop of a Pontiac on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 about 4:56 p.m. at Stanford and Lowell Streets. As the officers walked up to the car, one of the officers saw the male passenger stuff a plastic bag into his waistband. A records check confirmed that he was on parole for sales of cocaine and probation for DUI. Officers conducted a parole search of the 31 year old Oakland resident and discovered the plastic bag containing 23 individually packaged pieces of suspected cocaine base in his waistband. BPD DTF officers arrested and booked him for violations of H&S 11351.5 — Possession for Sales of Cocaine, PC 3056 — Parole Violation and PC 1203.2. — Probation Violation. The driver was identified and released at the scene.

Attempted Residential Burglary — 1600 block of Euclid Avenue
A Berkeley man left his apartment in the 1600 block of Euclid Avenue on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at about 5:15 p.m. When he returned home at about 7:00 p.m., he discovered that the hallway window was open and unlocked. He went inside, found nothing had been disturbed or apparently stolen. The hallway window is located just outside his front door. It had been broken before and according to the victim, the property owner landlord replaced the window with Plexiglas and then caulked it. An unidentified suspect or suspects was able to push against the Plexiglas and the window popped open enough for the suspect to reach in and unlock the window. The BPD called the CSI to dust the area for any viable fingerprints.

Burglary of Motel Room — 900 block of University Avenue — One Arrested
A 65 year old Walnut Creek man left his motel room on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 about 7:40 p.m. to buy a soda. He closed his hotel room but did not lock it. The room is one of many rooms of a business in the 900 block of University Avenue. When the man returned, he found a male suspect rummaging through his belongings on the bed. The victim yelled at the suspect who fled the room. BPD officers arrived and detained the suspect nearby, a 50 year old Berkeley man. Officers arrested and booked him for violations of 459PC – Burglary and a Parole Violation, 3056 PC.

Residential Burglary – 1200 block of Dwight Way
Between noon and 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, an unknown suspect or suspects burglarized a home in the 1200 block of Dwight Way. The family called BPD upon returning and discovering the crime. The suspect got in through an unlocked front window, ransacked the living room and bedrooms stealing jewelry, coins from a “piggy bank” and a camcorder. The suspect then left through the front door, as that door was open when the residents came home. A CSI processed the scene for evidence.

Residential Burglary — 2700 block of Durant Avenue — One Arrested
Two residents of a home in the 2700 block of Durant Avenue called 911 at about 3:15 a.m. on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 after a male suspect woke them from the sound he was making trying to enter the unlocked windows. The suspect was partially through the bedroom window when the residents scared him off. The first BPD officer to arrive detained a male in front of the home who matched the description provided by the victims. He told the officer he was on the roof and climbing through windows looking for a friend. He also told BPD officers that he had a shotgun in his car, a Subaru parked nearby. Officer seized it for safekeeping and arrested the 22 year old Covelo, CA. man for violation of 459PC – Burglary. An officer did a records check for status of the gun which revealed no information such as registration or whether it might be stolen.

Identity Theft/Fraud — 1600 block of Ward Street
A Berkeley woman called BPD on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 to report that she received a phone call from a representative of Sears Stores in the State of Connecticut. The rep told her that she opened a credit account in their store and charged over $2,000. The rep said another purchase of over $1,000 was being attempted and they were suspicious. The victim confirmed she did not open the account and had not authorized anyone else to do so. On the same day, a representative of Target Stores called her and said someone was attempting to open a credit account in the store. The victim told the rep it was not her and the attempt was denied. A suspect or suspects had also attempted to open a credit line at Best Buy. She checked her credit report and there was an outstanding balance of $2,000 at JC Penney’s as well. The officer documented the crimes and provided Identity Theft resources.

Warrant Arrest and Probation Search — 1000 block of University Avenue — One Arrested
At about 10:00 a.m., Thursday, August 4, 2011 members of the City of Berkeley Police Department Property Crimes Unit went to arrest a man who had a $0 Bail Warrant for Auto Theft. The detectives were also planning to conduct a probation search of his living space in the 1000 block of University Avenue. The suspect fled to his balcony and there were a few tense moments not knowing what his intentions were, and yet, he was coaxed to relax and he was arrested without further incident. The 25 year old Berkeley man was arrested and booked for the warrant. Detectives did a search of his apartment and found and seized suspected stolen property. They are in the process of confirming if the items are indeed stolen and at that time, booking offenses of 496PC — Possession of Stolen Property and 1203.2 PC — Probation Violation will be added. He is currently in the BPD jail. BPD conducts these types of arrest operations, parole and probation searches, search warrants and related surveillances each week related to all types of crime. In most cases, community members or the public never know these efforts are ongoing.

Drunk in Public — 2700 block of Hillegass Avenue – One arrested
At 10:10 a.m. on Thursday, August 4, 2011, a BPD officer was patrolling the area around Willard Park. The officer saw a man staggering in the park as the man approached three other individuals. The officer got out of his patrol car and approached the man to check his welfare. The officer immediately noticed objective symptoms of alcoholic beverage intoxication. The man’s speech was slurred and slow, his eyes were bloodshot, he was belligerent, his body was swaying as he stood in front of the officer and he had an odor of alcohol beverage coming from his breath and body. The BPD officer determined that the 52 year old man could not care for his own welfare. He arrested him for violation of PC 647(f) – Drunk in Public and PC 1203.2 PC — Probation Violation.

Drunk in Public — Shattuck Avenue & Allston Way — One arrested
At 12:53 a.m, on Thursday, August 4, 2011, a BPD officer saw a man stumbling on the sidewalk at Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way. The officer made contact with the subject to make sure he was ok. Upon contact with the 46 year old Berkeley man, the officer saw that he was very unsteady on his feet and barely able to stand up without assistance. The man’s speech was also slurred and he had the strong smell of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath and on his person. Due to the objective signs of alcohol intoxication he exhibited, the officer felt that the man was unable to care for his own safety. The man was arrested and booked for violations of PC647(f) — Drunk in Public and a probation violation.

Theft From a Truck — 1100 block of Channing Way
On Thursday, August 4, 2011 at approximately at 4:00 a.m., a Berkeley man in the 1100 block of Channing Way heard sounds of movement near his vehicle, a Dodge Dakota Pick-up which was parked near his home. The truck owner said that he went to his vehicle and discovered the rear load-bearing rack on the back of his pick-up truck was stolen.

Theft of License Plate — 2500 Benvenue Avenue
A Berkeley man called BPD on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at about 3:00 p.m., to report that he had just walked to his Mazda Protégé that was parked in a lot to the rear of his apartment complex, and discovered that his Mazda’s rear license plate had been stolen. He did not see anyone steal his vehicle’s license plate. The BPD officer documented the crime and entered the stolen plate into SVS- Stolen Vehicle System that is also a database for lost or stolen vehicle plates.